Nope. The M1 Carbine fires a round called the .30 carbine.
It’s basically a pistol cartridge. Ballistics are below
.30-30 and way below 7.62x39. You may have trouble
finding .30C ammo other than FMJ. .30 carbine is iffy
for deer, although usually legal.

The M1 Rifle fires the .30-06, which is much more powerful
than any of the above.

And let me correct one of my remarks.
The .30-30 and the 7.62x39 are actually comparable
in ballistics. I imagine that suitable hunting
rounds are available in the 7.62, and SKS-based
semi-autos are relatively cheap.

To hunt deer a 308 is the minimum I would use. I usually use an old Springfield 30-06. Marlin 45-70 is good for elk if they are not too far away. M1 carbine can be used to punch holes in paper. M1 Garand is 30-06 and good firepower. Chesty puller liked them but preferred the Springfield for more accuracy. 30-30 would work up close but most people can't judge range too well so they would tend to shoot too low. FMJ surplus ammo is illegal on big game in a lot of states. What kind of bullet do you want?

The trouble with the Mini-30 is that it is notoriously lacking in accuracy, at least those made before 2000 when I bought mine. I have popped a couple of armadillos in the back yard, but I would not want to shoot at a deer at anything more than 35 or 40 yards, as it is not a very powerful round and needs accurate placement for a clean kill. There is nothing wrong with the 7.62x39 cartridge itself, it is just the macaroni barrel that Ruger uses on the Mini-30. I would really love to have a good quality short action bolt rifle chambered for it.

It is true that in firefights against human opposition the 7.62x39 has historically been effective in the AK-47, but a deer is not going to stay around after the first shot is fired.

Not because of the energy, as I understand it,
but because the powder in factory .30c loads
is slower-burning, since it expects to have at
least a 16in barrel. In a handgun, a lot of
it is still burning when the bullet has departed
the tube. It’s the classic “same round for
rifle and sidearm” conundrum.

I’m with Madman. Your 30-30 is a deer round, and for such is superior to both of the military rounds you’re interested in. If you’re interested in a good round for short to 150 yds. hunting and care about humanely taking your animal, save your money. If you want to command respect at an “intersection gone wild” then either of those other carbines you fancy would fit the bill. If you would use a .30 carbine on a game animal, you’re a scuzz.

Could be a Ruger, been quite a few years since I saw it. He has a ton of guns, couple M1 carbines, a mini-14, HK308 and various handguns says he’ll sell me the whole mess for 5k and I’m sorely tempted...

Neither one is a 30-30. I'm pretty sure the M1 is, but, yeah, the Mini-30's 7.62x39mm give performance very similar to the 30-30.

To understand the difference between the ballistics of various rounds you should pick up a copy of a reloading manual such as the Speer Rifle and Pistol Reloading Manual.

A Cartridge consists of four components- the projectile (bullet), the brass case,primer and powder load.

There are approximately 20 +/- cartridges (case,primer,projectile,powder) that all use the .308 diameter projectile (bullet) ranging from the 30 M1 Carbine through the 30-30 Levergun cartridge up to the venerable 30-06 and the 300 Weatherby Magnum.

Because it is chambered in a gas operated autoloading rifle, the 30 M1 Carbine cartridge is limited to the use of two projectile weights-100 grains and 110 grains-and a choice of four "flavors" one of which is a semi-jacketed hollow point which MIGHT be an adequate deer round at close range.

Until Hornaday recently developed a soft pointed tip (the Leverolution round) ALL 30-30 ammunition was BLUNT point because of the danger the tube magazine arrangement of the classic levergun would detonate cartridges whose primer rested on the pointed tip of another projectile (bullet).

So even though the weight of a 30-30 projectile can go to 170 grains ballistically the range and power are limited to about 100 yards, maybe 200 yards in the hands of a skilled marksman. (of course, everyone believes they are skilled marksman enough to take long shots!!??)

Before you give up on your levergun examine the Hornaday Leverolution round and see if it does not meet your needs for extended range and power.

On the off chance you or anybody you know should ever set out to try to hunt with a Garand rifle... there’s something you need to know. The 30-06 cartridge was made for the kinds of smokeless powders in use in 1905 or thereabouts while a 30-06 loaded with modern powder is going to be somewhere between a 308 (which has identical ballistics to the military 06 rounds with a much smaller case) and a 300 WM. That won’t hurt a modern bolt action rifle but Garand rifle won’t survive it.

M1 carbine is NOT a .30-30. In fact the cartridge it uses is so low-powered that it is actually illegal for deer here in Michigan, and should be everywhere.

The accepted name for that round is .30 Carbine. It’s essentially a no more than modest .30 caliber pistol round. The little rifle was in fact intended as a combat sidearm for officers and non-front-line troops, in place of John Browning’s legendary .45 Auto pistol. More accurate at longer ranges than the .45 pistol can be shot accurately, but hasn’t the power of the .45 Auto at ANY range. Other than the historical value, the only use the little M1 Carbine has is killing tin cans, and maybe rabbits. It’s really not even good enough to use as a self-defense round.

The .30-30 or .30WCF is a legendary deer round, but it’s never chambered in any semi-autos, because it’s a rimmed round, and can’t be made to feed well. Most .30-30 rifles are lever actions, Winchesters, Savage 99s, and that ilk.

The 7.62x39 however is quite acceptable as a deer cartridge, BUT you must use the proper ammunition. The cheap full-jacket military surplus ammo is NOT suitable for deer hunting, and in many states is probably also illegal for that use.

Amen to the Marlin 336. I have my Dad’s old .35 Remington 336, and if I ever have to go back to just one gun, that will be it. Cheap, rugged, accurate, easy to put a scope on, easy to field-strip for cleaning, you just can’t beat it. Best darned workingman’s deer gun ever made, bar none. Can’t beat the .35 Remington round, either. You can handload it for anything from rabbits to moose.

The last time I was at a book liquidation store, they were selling “Cartridges of the World” for five dollars a copy. I bought every single copy they had. I took them to work and sold them to my fellow gun club members at cost.

I use a old Mexican Mauser 95 with a custom receiver that was cut down and rebuilt just for the 7.62x39. I use it regularly on Javelina and Whitetails. As to the M1 Carbine....the .30 Carbine is nothing more than an offspring of the old vintage 1905 ,32 Winchester Self Loading cartridge. Poor Boy 32-20 per se....... The 7.62x39 in a proper launcher is one of the most accurate rounds in the world.

I agree. The 7.62x39 Russian is a decent cartridge, and roughly equivalent of the 30.30 caliber. Unfortunately the Mini-30 is an absolutely worthless firearm. I have an AK-47 that shoots tighter groups, and so does every SKS I've ever seen. Most everybody I know who owns a Mini-30 or Mini-14 keeps them in the closet to collect dust or uses them for door stops.

Whoever gave the go ahead to build the Mini-30 and the Mini-14 should be whipped and tried for theft. I will never buy or sell another Ruger.

The 7.62x39 in a proper launcher is one of the most accurate rounds in the world.

You are right that the 7.62x39 is accurate out of the right gun BUT I am looking at the knowledge level of the OP. This is a guy (no offense intended) that wants a good 'all around' rifle. He will not be reloading and wants to be able to walk into Wally World and get good ammo.

I think the .308 would be better as a "tatcticle/hunting' gun for this type of shooter.

43
posted on 03/08/2008 7:43:22 PM PST
by Hazcat
(We won an immigration BATTLE, the WAR is not over. Be ever vigilant.)

For what it is worth the 30 M1 Carbine projectile(bullet) is .308 diameter and the 7.62x39 mm projectile (bullet)is .311 diameter. A tremendous difference in chamber size and not interchangable. Best regards,

Agreed BUT they ARE all considered 30 caliber.

Have a nice day

45
posted on 03/08/2008 7:45:47 PM PST
by Hazcat
(We won an immigration BATTLE, the WAR is not over. Be ever vigilant.)

The last time I was at a book liquidation store, they were selling Cartridges of the World for five dollars a copy. I bought every single copy they had. I took them to work and sold them to my fellow gun club members at cost.

At that price I certainly would have picked up a copy, but I like reloading manuals for the wealth of detail they provide.

For example, the exact same projectile-The Varminter .308 110 grain hollowpoint- out of a 30 M1 Carbine Cartridge has a muzzle velocity of 1981 feet per second. Out of a 30-30 Levergun it has a muzzle velocity of 2238 feet per second with a heavy powder load and 1925 feet per second with a light powder load.

I asked some questions of the poster above and he answers that we’ll have a better way to help him choose.

All arguments thus far , price , semi auto, quality, cheap, durable, accurate, general hunting round etc seem to lead to a M1 Garand from CMP for this man.......dual purpose, 5 round enbloc’s available for hunting......I use one now and then .

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.